MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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Merry Christmas, All!

We've had a RELAXING and LOW-KEY week in Arkansas! Our daily activities have included puzzles, walks, reading, napping, EATING, golfing, fishing, experimenting with our new camera and playing with the baby. We've taken over 700 pictures since we arrived (most are of Quinton, of course).

We’ve watched a few movies at night – White Christmas (per Miller family tradition), Mamma Mia, Wall-E and 21 (yet to come tonight).

We visited Garvin Gardens on Monday night where there are hundreds of lights on display. It was a little chilly (even for us Minnesotans!)

It was a fun and exciting morning today - Quinton kept us all entertained as we tried to teach him how to open gifts. We all got so many great gifts and then enjoyed some more great food, golf (yup - it was 55 and sunny and its CHRISTMAS!), a game of cards and more food!

Tonight's agenda includes a movie and ice cream....

Here's a small sampling of our picture overload (as always, click to enlarge)...ENJOY!


The whole gang on Christmas Eve


Lights at Garvin Gardens


More at Garvin Gardens


Garvin Gardens and Quinton with his new blankie


Auntie D and Baby-Q and a shot of the baby we all adore...


Stockings

New big mitten with a built in ice scraper - perfect for MN!

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We Made It!

We made it to Arkansas last night!

Ryan golfed this morning - didn't have a great round but did have a great time! My dad caddied for him (his hand is still out of commission for actually playing). My mom and I ran errands and then picked Kelly up at the aiport. Our afternoon was spent wrapping gifts, putting together the high chair, playing with our new camera, hanging out and taking the new kayaks for a spin!

The house is all Christmassy and Meg, Dan and Quinton arrive tomorrow! Can't wait!

Favorite shot with the new camera...

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Winter Wednesday

Counting down to an Arkansas Christmas!

We’re leaving SO SOON! We’re both working a half-day Friday and then heading to the airport. I love being at the airport. I can’t pinpoint why (other than the obvious “yay we’re going somewhere” feeling). I love the people watching, the little shops with all the magazines and candy, walking around, having an excuse to do nothing but read and relax!

Shopping is done, laundry is done…we have to pack tonight. Our biggest challenge is getting everything there and back and only having to pay for one checked bag. I’ve told Ryan to limit his shoes – do you know how few size 15 shoes fit in a suitcase!?! J Luckily we sent most of the presents back with my parents at Thanksgiving.

It’s COLD here. Like the HIGH was below zero yesterday kind of cold. Remind me again why we live here!?!

I feel like I’ve mentally checked out already at work – I’m lacking any motivation and focus. But I’ve still got things to finish. Here’s hoping I can get them done so I can leave stress-free and not come back to a mess.



PS. My husband is amazing! For no particular reason (well, there are lots of reasons actually but I’m not saying it because of any one specific thing he’s done recently)…he just is. I’m lucky! :)

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Things I've Done...

Got this in an email and thought it was fun! I've X'ed the things I've done in my life...We'll see if I can get Ryan to fill it out for himself! :)

( ) Gone on a blind date
(x) Skipped school.
(x) Watched someone die
( ) Been to Canada
( ) Been to Mexico

(X) Been to Florida
(x) Been to Hawaii
(X) Been on a plane
(x) Been lost - I'm lost right now!!!
( ) Gone to Washington, DC

(X) Swam in the ocean
(x) Cried yourself to sleep
( ) Played cops and robbers
( ) Recently colored with crayons
(X) Sang Karaoke NEVER

( ) Paid for a meal with coins only.
(x) Been to the top of the St. Louis Arch
(X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't.
(x) Made prank phone calls
( ) Been down Bourbon Street in New Orleans

(X) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose & elsewhere.
(X) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
(x) Danced in the rain
(X) Written a letter to Santa Claus
( ) Been kissed under the mistletoe

(x) Watched the sunrise with someone
(X) Blown bubbles
(x) Gone ice-skating
(X) Gone to the movies
(x) Been deep sea fishing

( ) Driven across the United States alone
( ) Been in a hot air balloon
( ) Been sky diving
(x) Gone snowmobiling
(x) Lived in more than one country

(X) Laid outside at night and admired the stars while listening to the crickets
(X) Seen a falling star and made a wish
( ) Enjoyed the beauty of Ole Faithful Geyser
(x) Seen the Statue of Liberty
( ) Gone to the top of Seattle Space Needle

(x ) Been on a cruise
(x) Traveled by train
(x) Traveled by motorcycle
(X) Been horse back riding
( )Ridden on a San Francisco Trolley

(X) Been to Disneyland (World)
(X)Truly believe in the power of prayer!
( ) Been to the top of an active volcano and seen hot lava
( ) Been in a rain forest

(x) Seen whales in the ocean
( )Been to Niagara Falls
(x) Ridden on an elephant
( ) Swam with dolphins

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We're Baaaaaaack!

We're still alive. I'm sure you were all wondering.

Here's the highlights from the last two weeks in no particular order:

- Ryan went to Kansas City for 5 days. He went to work in a branch of his company down there. The house was lonely without him but not nearly as scary as I expected. He also got to sneak in a quick visit to his sister's on the way down - Brenna was walking even better than when they were here.

- I was sick while he was gone - sore throat, lost my voice and am now stuffy and coughing. Stocked up on cough syrup and sudafed.

- Went to Ryan's 2nd cousin's birthday party. We got to see and catch up with lots of people that we don't get to see very often. It was tons of fun!

- Dinner and hanging out with friends - low key and fun!

- I made a big pan of Rice Chex Treats. And ate the whole thing (don't worry - not in one sitting!)

- Finished our Christmas shopping - yay! The majority was done before Thanksgiving and we sent the gifts home with my parents. We just have a few stragglers to take with us on the plane.

- That reminds me - we bought plane tickets to Arkansas! We had been planning on driving but found such a great deal on flights we couldn't resist. I'll admit I'm relieved! No worrying about road conditions in Iowa!

- We babysat for our friends' 9 month old last night - a good baby fix!

- We've been getting Christmas cards every day - so fun to get "real" mail!

- And the most exciting news...we bought ourselves a Christmas present! Normally, we don't exchange gifts but splurged this year on a Nikon D40 Digital SLR camera. Super, very, totally, completely fun and exciting! We are going to take some classes when we get back in January and can't wait to learn how to use all the features of our fun new toy. We're taking it with us to Christmas in Arkansas and I can guarantee we'll have plenty of pictures to share. Baby Quinton will be the perfect subject!

I'm sure we've been up to other things but those are the things that stand out.

We leave on Friday and can't wait!

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Thanksgiving

It was a successful Thanksgiving at the Bohlen house!

The Bohlens all arrived on Wednesday night and we had chili and hung out. Thursday morning Steve (Ryan's dad) made his specialty of french toast and sausage. He even made some using my gluten free bread - a rare treat!

Ryan, Stephanie, Jared and Val (his mom) went for a walk while Steve and I watched the turkey and waited for Brenna to wake up.



My parents and sister Kelly arrived around 1 and we all caught up.

The food was done at 4 and we all sat down for a delicious meal - turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, gluten free stuffing, corn, jello, bread. YUM! After dinner we had pie - gluten free pumpkin and gluten free apple. The apple won out and we're left with lots of pumpkin.





We only had one minor mishap while cooking: Ryan and I were buttering the turkey and when he went to push it back in he pushed the roasting pan and not the oven rack. The turkey and pan dumped off the back of the oven rack. Out of instinct, Ryan reached in to save the turkey and ended up burning his arm. The turkey came out of the whole ordeal unharmed and delicious!



I ended up going to bed at 8:15 that night - I was exhausted after all the cooking and prepping!

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Friday Ryan and I both worked. I had a very rough day! ;) It started out with a team breakfast and then I unpacked and settled into my new cube. I left around 12:15 to meet my parents at Caribou. Ryan was done at 12:45 and came back for lunch with his family.

Ryan's family had spent the morning at various thrift stores and we then spent the afternoon at Mall of America checking out Nordstrom Rack and DSW.

Friday night was leftovers and poker - a happy crew all around!

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Saturday Ryan and I lucked out and got to bring Brenna into bed with us for 45 minutes before everyone else got up. She's tons of fun and doings lots of new things everyday! She knows a few words in sign language - most often she signs "please". It's so darn cute you can't not give her what she wants! :)



We took some Bohlen family pictures that morning and then Ryan's family left around 1:30. We cleaned a bit and then napped before a dinner with my parents and sister Kelly. We went to Axels for steak - yum!



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Sunday my sister Kelly came over to spend some time before heading back to Madison. When she left at noon we ran some errands and then hung out at home. We saw my parents for a bit and then I spent the evening writing Christmas cards while Ryan cheered on the Vikings.

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Ok, I think you're up-to-date on Bohlen life. A very good, family-fun, yummy food filled weekend!

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We're thankful for all of you and feel very blessed to have all of you in our life!


Brenna loves her Uncle Ryan!


Something was pretty funny...


Dad and Kel


The cook and Baby B

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